The trajectory in China is clear. Digital health care is ramping up rapidly and will transform the business of all players across the value chain. It is critical for companies to understand how they are likely to be affected—and to develop strategies that reflect that insight.

For some, adapting to the digital health-care wave will in large part involve digitizing existing processes to improve efficiency. This will be a major effort for pharmaceutical and medtech companies as they adopt digital tools in areas such as sales and marketing and portfolio optimization.

Distributors and retailers must confront the fact that the primary impact on them is likely to be disintermediation. As a result, they must move quickly to develop business models that keep them in the game.

Finally, there is the opportunity to build entirely new businesses. This potential exists in many steps along the value chain, including big-data services that can be built by digital companies and patient benefit management services that can be offered by payers. All players need to identify where new technology will allow them to offer novel products or services.

Regardless of whether the changes in health care are a major threat or a tantalizing new opportunity, companies must respond now. In the digital age, inaction will lead to failure.